SOMA Exotic Pet Sitter
SOMA — South of Market — is the tech and startup heart of San Francisco, a district of dense high-rise condos and converted lofts stacked between the Embarcadero, Oracle Park, Yerba Buena, and the Moscone Center, with the Caltrain terminus anchoring the southern edge at 4th & King. It is a neighborhood built for people who move fast: young professionals in glass-tower apartments, founders and engineers who travel for work at a moment’s notice, and renters who have learned that a low-footprint pet fits city life far better than a dog that needs a backyard. That is exactly why so many SOMA homes house a bearded dragon under a UVB lamp, a leopard gecko in a tidy terrarium, or a bonded pair of guinea pigs on a C&C grid. And when a trip or a conference comes up, the question that surfaces the night before is always the same: who is going to take care of the exotics? Conventional boarding kennels are built for dogs and cats, and most pet sitters have never checked a reptile enclosure’s humidity or weighed a guinea pig on a gram scale. That is the gap our team fills.
House of Guineas Pet Care is based right here in San Francisco, in the Inner Sunset, which makes SOMA a quick, same-city trip for us. We come to your pets so they can stay in their own enclosures, on their own routines, in the home they already know — whether you are in a high-rise condo near the Embarcadero, a loft off Folsom or Bryant, or a building a few blocks from the Caltrain station at 4th & King.
Why SOMA Exotic Pet Owners Choose Our Team
SOMA runs on people who care about getting the details right — and with an exotic pet, the details are everything, because the margin for error with a reptile or a small mammal is small. What exotic pet owners here tell us they need is a sitter who brings real clinical rigor, not just good intentions. Here is what sets us apart:
- Veterinary background. Our founder, Alexandria, is an exotic veterinary assistant who volunteers with the House Rabbit Society, administering subcutaneous RHDV2 vaccines. Every specialist on our team is trained under that same clinical lens.
- Species specialization. Exotic pets and cats are our whole focus — reptiles, rabbits, rodents, and birds. That kind of focus is genuinely hard to find anywhere in the city.
- Clinical-grade care. We can check a reptile enclosure’s basking temperature and humidity, dial in a UVB schedule, syringe-feed a GI stasis rabbit, weigh a guinea pig on a gram scale, and recognize the early signs of a crop issue in a parrot. We also know the local exotic vet landscape, so if something seems off while you are in another time zone, we know where to turn — see our San Francisco Bay Area exotic veterinarians directory.
- Flexible scheduling. Early-morning visits before work or a flight, evening visits after a long day, and mid-day medication timing — we build the schedule around your itinerary, not the other way around.
Exotic Species We Care For in SOMA
- Reptiles — bearded dragons, leopard geckos, crested geckos, turtles and tortoises
- Small mammals — guinea pigs, rabbits (including bonded pairs and trios), chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, rats
- Birds — parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies, lovebirds, finches
If your species is not listed, call or text us — if we have not handled it, we will tell you honestly and usually point you to someone who has. Reptile owners can also dig into our San Francisco reptile pet sitter page.
How It Works in SOMA
We start with a free meet-and-greet at your home — a real-time walkthrough of feeding routines, enclosure setup, UVB and heat schedules, medication timing, and your pet’s quirks. For SOMA pet owners, this usually lands on an evening or a weekend window, and since the neighborhood is compact and well served by Muni Metro, the T-line along the Embarcadero, and the Caltrain terminus at 4th & King, getting to you is easy.
Once you book, we schedule visits around your travel itinerary. Many reptiles do well with once-daily checks — confirming basking temps, misting for humidity, and spot-feeding on their species’ schedule — while guinea pigs, rabbits, and birds usually do best with twice-daily visits, morning and evening. Either way, we send photo and video updates from every visit, plus written notes on appetite, output, and behavior. If something seems off, we reach out before you land.
SOMA Areas We Serve
SOMA packs a lot into a flat, walkable footprint, and we cover all of it. That means the high-rise condos and lofts around the Embarcadero and Rincon Hill, the blocks near Oracle Park and the ballpark district, the Yerba Buena and Moscone Center core, the loft-lined streets off Folsom, Howard, Bryant, and Brannan, and the pockets near the Caltrain terminus at 4th & King. Whether you are on the fortieth floor of a glass tower or in a ground-level live/work loft, we can reach you.
Pricing for SOMA Visits
- 30-minute visits start at $85
- 60-minute visits start at $115
- Routine daily care runs $140–$190/day depending on visit length and number of pets
SOMA is within San Francisco, our home city, so there is no Peninsula travel surcharge — pricing here is simple and in-city. Text us your address and dates and we will give you a straightforward quote. You can read more about what is included on our in-home exotic pet care page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cover SOMA for exotic pet care?
Yes. We are based in San Francisco's Inner Sunset, so SOMA is a quick same-city trip for us. In-home exotic care throughout South of Market — from the Embarcadero high-rises to the lofts near Oracle Park and the Caltrain terminus at 4th & King — is a regular part of what we do.
Do you specialize in reptiles for SOMA condo and loft dwellers?
Yes. Reptiles are a core part of what we do, and they suit SOMA's condo and loft living especially well. We check basking temperatures and enclosure humidity, keep UVB schedules on track, and spot-feed on your species' schedule — for bearded dragons, leopard and crested geckos, and turtles and tortoises. Share your setup at the meet-and-greet and we will match it exactly.
What kinds of exotic pets do you care for in SOMA?
We care for exotic pets and cats. That includes reptiles like bearded dragons, leopard and crested geckos, and turtles and tortoises; small mammals like guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters and rats; and birds like parrots, cockatiels, conures, budgies, lovebirds and finches. New guinea pig owners can start with our guinea pig care guide.
Can I board my exotic pet instead of booking in-home visits in SOMA?
Yes. Boarding is hosted at our founder's San Francisco home, which is a short trip away from SOMA. Boarding runs $75 per night, your pet gets their own room with soothing music, and we ask that you bring their usual enclosure and supplies. Full details are on the boarding page.
How much does a SOMA exotic pet sitter cost?
Our 30-minute visits start at $85 and 60-minute visits at $115, with routine daily care ranging from $140–$190 per day depending on visit length and the number of pets. SOMA is within San Francisco, our home city, so there is no Peninsula travel surcharge — pricing is simple and in-city. Text us at 415-484-6493 with your address and dates for a firm quote.
Ready to lock in coverage for your next trip? Call or text us at 415-484-6493 and we will get a meet-and-greet on the calendar. You can also read more about our in-home exotic pet care service, our boarding option at the founder’s San Francisco home, or browse the full FAQ page. Reptile owner? Start with our San Francisco reptile pet sitter page. Want to see the whole city we cover? Start with our San Francisco exotic pet sitter hub. Still getting set up with a vet? Our San Francisco Bay Area exotic veterinarians directory is a good place to start.